


cold

by Reshma



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Drug Use, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Soul Bond, Soulmates, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 04:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16824829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reshma/pseuds/Reshma
Summary: I'm supposed to be finishing my other fic and Christmas special how did this happen????Also, why am I always trying to make Tony so angry at the world?





	cold

**Author's Note:**

> I'm supposed to be finishing my other fic and Christmas special how did this happen????
> 
> Also, why am I always trying to make Tony so angry at the world?

He's barely stumbled out of the party to get some fresh air when the bond rushes back.

It's not what he would call a train hitting him so much as stepping out into the - 20°F of the battlefield range after a hot shower.

There are too many warm bodies and faceless voices for Steve to pretend to be sober.

They had fought the night before over a mission, arguing into wasted hours and fighting over technicalities. Neither of them mean it, but it doesn't sting any less.

“I can't lose you, too, Tony!” Steve is almost crying, crazy over a destroyed suit and the flashes through the bond of an arc reactor never lighting up again. The bond is pleading and beginning to turn into a restless migraine. Steve's choking out his words, “You're not alone when you nearly kill yourself and ignore orders. I feel the same things you do! You can't barrel into war and not expect me to shut you down through the bond when you're a breath away from dying.” 

“That's bullshit! I'm not yours to control, Steve. I don't need you forcing me out of battle because you're an emotionless shell of a soldier that should've stayed in the ice.” Tony's voice is monotone and his eyes are empty but the bond is a slap in the face of uncontrollable anger, the feeling like a kettle boiling, about to explode.

They ended up sleeping in separate beds and ignoring each other's physical presence most of the day. The Avengers’ Facility is walking on eggshells, Tony trapping himself in his lab and Steve into his private gym.

He'd been fighting the link between them all morning, during his morning training, putting a dent into the gym’s wall when he could still feel Tony's initial headrush after his sip of coffee. 

The party was supposed to be a celebration for delaying the end of the world. Embassy officials and Stark Industries’ donors swarming around the Steve's numbness throughout the night.

The afternoon is spent begging Natasha to shoot him or ditch the pary, through the never-ending presence of Tony in his mind.

It's not like he could drink the pain away. So he chooses a desperate measures.

Bruce developed the drug in advance for missions, so the Hulk's unwavering rage wouldn't completely handicap Natasha. It's the only time Steve’s seen Natasha so emotional, pleading for Bruce to let the Hulk's emotions through the bond.

Bruce still believes he's a danger to the team and isolates himself when in the compound, even going so far as to leave the country in the hours following the mission to protect Natasha from the fact that he's a killer and a monster.

It doesn't ever stop Romanoff from trying.

He can feel Tony's trying to control his outside display, drunk and charismatic, and his inside disdain when the drug wears off and the connection crackles back into existence.

He can vaguely tell Tony's is try to seduce his immediete company and feels a fairly feminine energy around him, flirtatious and mischievous.

Stay out of my fucking head, rushes through the bond like frostbite.

He thought at the very least when he came out of the ice, he'd be done with the emptiness of the cold. 

When he found out his soulmate was alive, he thought he was done being alone.

And when he touches Stark's skin for the first time and an electric shock and someone's emotions and thoughts rush through, he thought he'd have to worry about being loved.

Steve's still numb from the drug and his bond is projecting loneliness.

There's a melody of low bass and fast hip-hop coming from the building as Steve steels himself over the edge of staircase.

He feels sick. The bond hurts and love isn't supposed to hurt.

When Steve Rogers overdoses on Bruce Banner's bond suppressant that night and passes out into the clean-cut grass of perfection at the Avengers’' Facility, Tony Stark's bond emanates the same brokenness of Steve Rogers’ heart when he flew a nuclear missile into the wormhole.

**Author's Note:**

> No, he didn't die, I'm just a bitch who likes angst.


End file.
